


Advice

by Jathis



Series: The Steward and the Sorcerer [45]
Category: Sofia the First (Cartoon)
Genre: Asexual Relationship, Brothers, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Healing, M/M, Sick Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-16 14:15:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28583355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jathis/pseuds/Jathis
Summary: When he receives a letter warning that his brother is gravely ill, Baileywick doesn’t know what he is going to do
Relationships: Baileywick/Cedric the Sorcerer
Series: The Steward and the Sorcerer [45]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2091021
Kudos: 2





	Advice

Their parents passed when he was in his mid-fifties. Their mother had died first and their father followed after her several hours later. The villagers that lived near them said it was what happened to soulmates.

He and Nigel had them buried in a garden in the same plot, keeping them together. Roland had sent his condolences and told Baileywick to take as much time as he needed. He stayed with his brother and sister-in-law for two weeks, organizing his thoughts and feelings about the loss of both parents.

“We still have each other, Wicky. Never forget that. I’m not going anywhere for a long time and neither are you,” Nigel assured him, pulling him into a gentle noogie.

Baileywick could only smile at the time, agreeing with his big brother.

***

The letter addressed to Baileywick came shortly before afternoon tea. He opened it out of curiosity as the cart for the Royals was being loaded and arranged. His face slowly lost its color as he read the contents.

“Slickwell, I need you to serve the Royal family,” he said.

“What? Why can’t you do it?” the younger man asked with a frown. He tilted his head when he saw the look on Baileywick’s face. “Are you sick?” he asked.

“Not me, no,” he whispered before walking away.

Slickwell watched him leave with his hands on his hips. He frowned to himself, turning back to the cart. “This looks so sloppy! I’m not bringing them this! Look, do it like this!”

Baileywick was too focused on the letter to scold Slickwell for his manners. He sat down in a chair in an empty room and he read the letter over and over again.

Cedric had been asked to provide some entertainment during tea. The sorcerer frowned when Slickwell was the one who came out with the cart. “Where is Baileywick?” he asked.

“I have no idea,” he said as he served the Royals. “He got a letter and then dumped his job on me. It’s because of how trained I am at being a steward. That’s why he trusted me with this.”

“Baileywick would never do that,” the sorcerer said.

Slickwell shrugged and snorted, “I’m not paid enough to look too deeply into things, sorcerer. I’m just paid to work here.”

He went looking for Baileywick when his show was over. He found him sitting alone in a room and he knocked on the doorway before stepping inside. “Baileywick?” he asked. He watched as the other quickly wiped at his eyes and he realized he had been crying. “What happened?”

“It’s Nigel,” Baileywick murmured. He held the letter out for the other to read. “He’s sick. They say it’s some kind of fever but none of the treatments they tried have worked so far.” He took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped at his eyes once again. “He’s the only family I have left, Cedric. What do I do if he dies?”

“You think it could happen?”

“The doctors say it could if they cannot break the fever. For some reason it’s been making the inside of his throat close up too. They’re fighting to keep his body temperature down and make sure he can still breathe,” Baileywick said. “It’s difficult to give him food and fluids.” He shook his head, shoulders falling.

Cedric had never been very good at healing magic. The best he could do was treat burns and close small cuts. This was something completely different. “Maybe we could..?”

“Pot marigold tea with dandelion milk.” The two men looked up, blinking at the speaker in surprise. Slickwell stood with his arms crossed, pointedly refusing to look at either of them. “Five cups a day. Hot or cold. The swelling will go down first and whatever is causing the fever will be dealt with.”

“How do you know this?” Baileywick asked.

Slickwell shrugged, staring at the wall to his left. “It’s a fairly common sickness in Rudistan. It’s like a cold to us. Tea made from pot marigold and mixed with dandelion milk is the best cure for it.” He walked away before they could ask him anything else.

“What do you think?” Cedric asked Baileywick.

The royal steward looked down at the letter. He looked back up at Cedric and nodded. “Send them a message telling them about the tea. If it’ll help Nigel in any way it’s worth a try.”

***

Slickwell looked incredibly annoyed when Baileywick took him by the arm and pulled him out of the kitchens several days later. “I’m trying to do my job, old man!”

“It worked.”

“What?”

“The tea! It worked!” Baileywick said with a smile.

He snorted and said, “I told you it would.”

“Slickwell, thank you very much. My older brother is the only blood family I have left. If I had lost him I do not know what I would have done.” He watched as a small blush came to Slickwell’s cheeks.

“I’m going back to work,” the younger man muttered, storming back into the kitchen.

Baileywick smiled as he watched him go. Slickwell tried so hard to hide the fact that he had feelings like everyone else. He wasn’t sure why but he decided not to push the other to open up too quickly.

For now he had his brother and he was grateful.


End file.
